7-year-old wet the bed again

[solidgoldbrass]

For about the last eight months or so he's been fine and it hasn't happened, but he did it on Boxing day and again last night. Now he's 7 is it time to go to the GP? Or will it just stop again?

if it is only occasionally I would write it off as accident.
is he particularly stressed atm?

I think it could go either way. I had this with one of my DSs. He was dry for a spell, followed by a slow relapse, until he was wetting every night - not what you want to hear I know.

It might be worth taking him to the GP if this turns into a regular occurrance, but I got no help out of mine - he was too young, then he would grow out of it etc, and in the end, we were on our own.

We tried the alarms from ERIC, but they didn't work for this DS. In the end he did grow out of it at 13. It was like a weight had lifted from his shoulders. I felt so sorry for him, and utterly powerless to help him.

I remember my nephew getting to 7 and that being the time of going to the gp.....within a few weeks it was sorted. For him, he wasn't drinking anything during the day, which of course resulted in making up for it at home later in the day, so inevitable. He changed that habit, wore some kind of alarm device between two pairs of pants at night and it cleared up. I know I've named it sound all terribly easy and quick, but it really was just like that. I hope it gets sorted soon too.

Don't panic. Twice in a month is nothing. He may be tired (growth spurt), or coming down with something, possibly stressing over something (as him if anything's on his mind at bedtime).

Otherwise make sure he voids his bladder twice before bed (once before bath/PJs/books, once before lights out). Avoid offering any drinks other than water and milk after 4pm, and only small quantities then. Avoid caffeine, fizzy all the time.

If the hassle of the sheets is too much, get one of these www.amazon.co.uk/Hippychick-Mattress-Protector-Flat-Sheet/dp/B000F474X2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327220319&sr=8-2 - they are superb: very absorbent but not at all crinkly, washable at 60 and tumble-dry or line dry.

You put the sheet over their bedding, top bit tucked under the pillow, and its not noticeable as it feels like brushed cotton. Any accidents, your DS can pull it off the bed, pop it in the laundry, chance his own pants/PJs and get himself back to bed (after a couple of practices).

If your DS were to start wetting more than 3 times a week, I'd probably look at bedwetting alarms www.amazon.co.uk/Night-Trainer-Bed-Wetting-Enuresis-Children/dp/B003NMXE96/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1327220490&sr=1-1-catcorr, which we used with our 5.5 y.o. last year with great success. HTH.

We went to the school nurse when dd was 6 as it was upsetting dd, it transpired she was not drinking enough during the day - since then she has been fine - with relapses when she is ill, or has later nights or generally disrupted routines. If it has been twice in eight months I would personally not worry for now and see if it becomes a regular occurence.

My dd was greatly comforted when Martin Clunes, who she loves as he is something to do with the BHS, went public about this. I loved him for that

Ah, I think it may be the Not Drinking Enough In The Day. Will address that. Though it's not fizzy drinks as DS doesn't like them and never has them.

Don't stress, my eldest did this until last year (who is now 9), for some kids it's just their weak spot and they grow out of it - I think involving gp's/school nurses just adds to the pressure, we just used to change sheets and that was that - no big deal. It's very common, even at 7.

I was told that getting them to drink a lot in the day not only helps them not drink immediately before bedtime but also helps their bladder get stronger. And I guess as they physically get bigger, their bladder is going to get bigger too.

I expect he will grow out of it, really, and I don't want to make it into a massive big deal for him.
I think I am worried that he is picking up on my own immense stress and it's upsetting him, though I am trying to keep 'normal' (we are about to have to move house and we are broke) as far as he is concerned, but he does seem fairly happy genearlly.

it could be as simple as knocking the duvet off so gets cold causes the accident. If once a week or more yes...but if your ds repeated kidney/urine infections you could ask nurse at surgery to dip his first urine of day to ensure no infection is starting for peace of mind.

My ds 7 if goes into deep sleep and I make sure uses toilet before bed will have odd accident 2-3 a year... you would notice sleep/diet/mood changes also if stress.

Try not to worry about your ds on top of your worries...your ds sounds like a tough cookie who is doing great

You have alot on your plate. If your DS is anything like mine and very sensitive (not in the shy sense, but in the empathetic sense) he will pick up everything. It doesn't matter how much you try and hide it. Although it has nothing to do with the bed-wetting (although ultimately it may well do) just keeping talking to him so that he feels part of what it going on - if he is unsure or knows there is something going down but can't quite figure it out you need to explain in simple terms to him so he feels a part of it. If that is the case it doesn't mean that he's really unhappy or really stressed, it can be the smallest of things. For my son it was always something silly - like his best friend being away from school sick or something. I'd just tell him not to worry and that it's no big deal - maybe there is something worrying him that he'd like to talk to you about - as he's a boy, say it while you are doing something else (like changing the sheets the next morning) as they don't tend to open up when a heavy question is asked with eye contact, like girls do. I hope everything works out for you and your house move is not too stressful.

It's funny too what they worry about. Found mine stressing at bedtime over the fact that one day he'd have to learn to drive .